How to Setup New Engineering Library

[poonam sharma]

How can we setup new engineering library?

How the circulation desk should look like? What about hanging of library related quotes?

What are the latest design for almirah, book stack, newspaper stand and above all how to decorate the library.

[Apurba Jyoti Majumder]

Visit Mehra & Company website

[poonam sharma]

Thanks sir

[Dr.P.MUTHU MARI]

Dear Poonam Sharma,

As per AICTE  norms is better,and plan your library size,collection of books,subscription of journals,e journals and so on.

With regards

Dr.P.Muthumari

Librarian

AUCAS

Paramakudi

T.N

Mobile :[phone]

[Shailendra Kumar Jain]

Very first read the UGC norms and go accordingly than
For the circulation desk u can choose " U " Shape desk that is helpful in circulation and also there would be space for returning books, most usable books and also keeping ur record and Book card properly.

For stack area i suggest for the wooden rack that save space and provide more space in less expense.

For the new paper stand u can choose according to ur library space and for the journal you can take Square rack in this rack there is space to keep back vol. in every shelf

Shailendra Jain

[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]

Dear Ms. Punam Sharma,

Thanks for your post. I am really pleased to go through it as it gave me an opportunity to go down memory lane. Yesterday, I was talking with my ex colleagues with whom I set up a new library several years ago. The excitement,the nervousness, the last minute modifications all thronged to our mind and we were laughing at ourselves of our naivety in those days!!

Any way, coming to the present context, I feel that you have to plan for the library according to architectural design of the library and the space.It is always better to start with materials which can be easily modified in least time and cost. It is better to mentally divide the space and mentally design the different sections. In case the entire library is set up in a single floor and single entrance, it will be better to administer and put surveillance systems which can be deployment of a security personnel or an RFID and CCTV embedded entrance. I personally feel that functional convenience should get more priority than physical beautification. So you first plan the position of different sections and then design the furnitures. Put your innovative ideas for cost saving purpose. For instance, in my earlier Library when it became a full depository Library of the World Bank, we received quite a lot of World Bank Books and reports. Many of the reports were 'thin'  comprising 30 to 80 pages which have high possibility of misplacement or missing!!  Never-the-less, it was decided to have a separate corner for the World Bank Publications to highlight the collections. At that time we did not have much funds. So I had to opt for ordinary steel racks and asked the manufacturer to fit sliding glass panels with keys. They did exactly the same and fixed them in the wall with a steel panel on the left and right ends. Thus, we had a series of Glass paneled Steel Almirahs at  the least cost! The World Bank people, when they came to inspect were pleased to see that we have a separate wing for World Bank materials which gave it a distinct identity and the management was also please as they had to bear far less cost. We, the library people were happy as we could keep the materials safely and in a secured environment.  So you see that if you put into use your ideas, they will be better both aesthetically and functionally!

In case you plan for a Circulation counter which will also function as a reception, it may be designed differently than a traditional Circulation desk. Wooden materials looks better but generally they are costly and are affected in tropical conditions. 

I have noticed that you have not mentioned two things which are extremely important as I think. They are Readers' table and chairs. My opinion is that you MUST have foot rests below the readers tables. It is a very simple yet extremely important issue. In case you have wi-fi enabled library and allow users to use their Laptops, certainly the foot rests will be of help to the users.The readers' chairs are also important as they should be so designed that they become comfortable for prolonged reading or library use. Furnitures should be designed in conformity with the architecture of the building. If the structure is Gothic, the almirah and other furniture should be designed accordingly; even the A.C ducts have to be designed in that manner!!

 I hope I could explain the intrinsic ideas about what you wanted to know.

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray